


Five Cuddles Ahsoka Shared

by Merfilly



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Background Character Death, Gen, Hugs, Platonic Cuddling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-25
Updated: 2017-01-25
Packaged: 2018-09-19 20:25:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9459161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: Five times Ahsoka was either hugged, or hugged someone else, for comfort.





	

Coming to the Temple had been terrifying. Yes, Ahsoka had chosen to go with the tall man whose face was covered and had the little flexy things hanging down like tiny lekku. But the Temple was huge and closed in and had strangers that were not clan. She was poked and prodded by medical people, scowled at by people who glowed so brightly, and generally not reassured that she had chosen wisely.

Her eyes grew very large, and tears started to pool as she felt one scowly person rejecting her because she was older.

Her Finder reached down and picked her up, saying sharp words that made little sense, turning her to his shoulder and placing a large hand over her back. She was safe, warm, and he radiated peace at her. Ahsoka burrowed into that feeling, and his chest, and let herself settle into a calmer state.

+++

She was five and had been in the Temple for two years before she had a serious injury, pushing herself to keep up with younglings that were almost twice her size. She was smart and strong for her size, but Di'kan had lost xir balance, shaking the beam hard enough that Ahsoka couldn't compensate. While Di'kan stayed on the beam, Ahsoka could not, having been at the edge. She fell, twisting to try and protect the nub of her central lek and her head.

They all heard the snap of the arm, and the Knight that had been assigned to protect them went pale as xie realized one of the younglings was hurt.

Ahsoka cried out with the pain, then bit her lip, trying to pretend she hadn't been that weak. They might send her back down to the baby room if they believed she couldn't be brave!

Fortunately, Knight Ja'el was quick to reassure her. "It's okay to cry, little one. I'd cry with a break like that," xie said, carefully gathering the small Togruta up and letting the youngling cuddle close for the walk down to the Healing Hall.

+++

Barriss looked at Ahsoka with worry as they were left alone, while the elder padawan recovered from the brainworm and the freezing effects on her skin. Ahsoka saw the worry and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"You could have just killed me."

Ahsoka shook her head, sliding her hand onto Barriss's, squeezing her fingers gently. "You're my friend. I couldn't do that. I had to find a way to save you."

"Friend?"

"Yes." That unsure tone was too much for Ahsoka, and she moved, wrapping her arms gently around the elder girl, hugging her.

Barriss didn't protest, and eventually returned it, if awkwardly.

+++

Ahsoka watched with dry eyes as they fed the pyre, refusing to break where the men could see. Her lekku and features showed her grief anyway. She had done everything right, had led her men with skill and determination. They had been right there, fighting with her and trying to survive.

Too many of them had died anyway. Despite her attempts to protect them, she had lost a quarter of her forces.

An arm slid over her shoulders, and she was drawn tight along the side of her master.

"You couldn't have saved them, Ahsoka. You did everything you could, and your survival rate is very high," Anakin told her, trying to reassure her. "There were three times as many droids in that nest as we knew about, and you brought three quarters of your men from a fight you weren't actually briefed for."

"I want… I want them to stop dying," Ahsoka said, as her resolve not to break was shattered, and the tears came. Anakin turned her into his chest and let her. Now was not the time for Jedi platitudes. Now was for taking care of his padawan's very real grief over failing the men.

+++

Hera slipped inside the cabin with Fulcrum, respecting the dim lighting and the quiet. She did not always understand her contact, her handler for the Rebellion, but she knew the woman carried more pain than any one being should, maybe even more than Kanan. Those who touched the Force apparently carried the weight of all the deaths in that awful war, and the slaughter of the Jedi on their shoulders.

"You don't need to check on me, my friend," the elder woman said softly from the darkest corner of the cabin. Hera boldly walked forward and sat beside her on the low berth.

"I may not. But I don't leave friends that are hurting alone with their pain," Hera told her. "You have risked your life for me and my team countless times, and you give all you are to the cause. But you have to take support, Fulcrum, or you will whittle yourself away to nothingness." With that said, the Twi'lek placed an arm around Fulcrum, down around the waist, careful of pressure on the central lek there.

After half a moment, Fulcrum leaned into it, and let her eyes close. "You've grown so wise, little Hera," she said, one more small reminder that Fulcrum was a survivor of the war, had been at Ryloth even. Some day, Hera would get that story. Now, though, she just let the weary Rebel leader lean on her and soak up the care.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me at [Dreamwidth](http://sharpest-asp.dreamwidth.org/) or [Tumblr](http://bow-weaver.tumblr.com/) if you ever want to make a request.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[Podfic of] Five Cuddles Ahsoka Shared](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10030820) by [exmanhater](https://archiveofourown.org/users/exmanhater/pseuds/exmanhater)




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